ENFORCEMENT

MESSAGE FROM THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ENFORCEMENT COORDINATOR,
AND CHAIR OF THE U.S. INTERAGENCY STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEES
Photo credit: Ralph Alswang
I have been honored to serve as the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, and as
Chair of the U.S. Interagency Strategic Planning Committees on IP Enforcement. On behalf of
the Office, and the Federal partners represented on the interagency committees, I am pleased
to present the Joint Strategic Plan on Intellectual Property Enforcement (FY 2017-2019), titled
“SUPPORTING INNOVATION, CREATIVITY & ENTERPRISE: CHARTING A PATH AHEAD.”
The Strategic Plan is a blueprint for the work to be carried out over the next three years by
the Federal Government—with opportunities for state and local governments, governments
around the world, and the private sector—in support of a healthy and robust intellectual
property enforcement policy environment. It starts with an acknowledgement and celebration
of the extraordinarily important role that the creative and innovative communities play in our
cultural and economic lives: supporting over 45 million U.S. jobs, more than 50 percent of our
exports, and incentivizing all forms of dynamic and enriching creative expression.
The mission of the Federal Government in supporting creativity, innovation, and enterprise through the effective enforcement
of intellectual property rights must be ambitious. The threats posed by patent, trademark, and copyright infringement, and the
misappropriation of trade secrets, are real and multidimensional. Our work must be carried forward with a sense of urgency in
order to minimize these threats and the often overlooked attendant harms that flow from IP-based illicit activities.
The protection of intellectual property rights is about promoting economic prosperity and supporting jobs; opening new
markets for U.S. goods and services; and fostering innovation and investments in research and development. It is also about
standing up for our values at home and abroad. Trade in counterfeit goods, for example, compromises the integrity of domestic
and global supply chains, and creates significant public health and safety risks for our citizens. Illicit trade also subverts human rights
through reliance on forced and even child labor, and endangers the environment through irresponsible manufacturing and disposal
practices. These and other illicit IP-related acts also undermine national security interests when, for example, sensitive trade secrets
are targeted for misappropriation; or counterfeit goods enter critical private or governmental supply chains; or when these illicit
activities financially support transnational organized crime networks.
These threats are not limited to a single industry, nor do they fall under the purview of a single government agency or even a
single country. They are cross-cutting in scope and global in scale. To address these and other concerns, the Strategic Plan lays out
four primary, overarching goals during FY 2017-2019: (1) to enhance National understanding of the economic and social impacts
flowing from the misappropriation of trade secrets and the infringement of intellectual property rights; (2) to promote a safe and
secure Internet by minimizing counterfeiting and IP-infringing activity online; (3) to secure and facilitate lawful trade; and (4) to
enhance domestic strategies and global collaboration in support of an effective IP regime.
The Strategic Plan has been prepared to go beyond a compilation of abstract goals or objectives, placing heightened
importance on the need for a detailed assessment of the challenges faced by creative, innovative, and law enforcement
communities, domestically and overseas, with respect to IPR enforcement. By adding increased attention on the specific
dimensions of the evolving IP enforcement challenges before us, we may better advance the development of narrowly-tailored,
but strategically-aligned, solutions in the months and years to come. As such, this Strategic Plan represents the beginning of a
continuous process, and not the culmination of one.
This Strategic Plan represents a “call for action” for all nations—as well as international organizations, industry, educational
institutions, and consumer protection and public interest groups—to provide forward-thinking leadership and a collaborative
approach to combatting illicit IP-based activities. Together, we can enhance our enforcement programs and policies for the modern
era, and ensure that collective efforts to curb illicit trade in counterfeit and pirated goods, online commercial piracy, trade secret
theft, and other acts of IP infringement are maintained as a top priority.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Daniel H. Marti
Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator,
Executive Office of the President
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